Adjustable wrench



June 2. 1925- I 1,539,987

, .1. A. BELL ADJUSTABLE WRENCH Filed Feb, 11. 1924 Patented June 2, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

JOHN A. BELL, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

ADJUSTABLE WRENCH.

Application filed February 11, 1924.

justable renches, of which the following is a specification.

T his invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in adjustable wrenches and has particular reference to a device of that kind'en'ibodying a stationary or rigid jaw and a sliding adjustable jaw.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device of the above kind which embraces the desired quality of simplicity and durability of construction, as well as eiticiency in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable wrench embodying a handle provided with a rack and a tiltable jaw carrying head attached to the handle, said jaw carrying head embodying a stationary jaw and a cooperating sliding jaw, the sliding jaw being provided with teeth cooperating with the rack of the handle whereby, upon movement oi the handle in one direction, its rack will be released from the teeth of the sliding jaw for permitting the jaws to obtain a new grip upon the work, and where upon movement of the handle in the opposite direction, the handle rack is caused to firmly engage with the teeth of the slidable jaw for maintaining the same against sliding movement away from the stationary or rigid jaw.

Still another object of the invention is to provide yieldable means normally urging the movable jaw toward the rigid or sta tionary jaw so as to automatically cause the jaw to properly engage the work upon movement of the handle in the first named direction mentioned above whereby efl'ective turning of the work is insured upon moving the handle in the opposite direction.

A still further object of the invention is to provide for the efficient attachment of the jaw carrying head to the handle so that these parts will be properly allowed their relative movement to a limited degree as required, incident to the operation of the device.

With the above genera-l objects in view, and others that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form,

Serial No. 692,151.

combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing, and claimed.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a side clevational view of a -wrench constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of the device shown in Figure 1, with the jaws in closerelation.

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the jaw carrying head with the sliding jaw removed.

Figure at is an end elevational view of the sliding jaw. V j

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the jaw shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially upon the line 6 6 of Figure 2, and

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 2 illustrating the parts positioned for release of the sliding jaw.

Referring more in detail to the drawing wherein an embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example, 5 indicates a suitable handle that is reduced in thickness at one end and formed of increased width to provide a segmental plate portion 6 having a flat transversely disposed outer edge as at 7 upon which is secured a rack 8. The device embodies a jaw carrying head consisting of a pair of plates 9 that are rigidly connected at one end by means of a stationary or rigid jaw lO and that are disposed flatly against opposite sides of the plate portion 6 of the handle as shown clearly in Figure 6, the plate members 9 of the jaw carrying head being extended beyond the flat edge 6 of the plate member 6 where the adjacent faces of the same are formed with cooperating transverse grooves Slidably disposed between the plate members 9 for movement in a plane parallel with the rack 8 and toward and away from the stationary jaw '10 is a sliding jaw 12, the inner portion of which is formed with pairs of ribs 13 which slidably engage the grooves 11 of the plate members 9. The jaw carrying head is tiltably attached to the plate portion 6 of the handle 5 by means of transverse bolts 14: that are threaded in aligned openings of said plate members and pass through elongated slots 15 ment of the jaw 12 away from the jaw under certain conditions as will presently become apparent, whlle the aws 10 and 12 are connected by a helical tension spring 17 for causing movement of the sliding aw 12 toward the stationary aw 10 under other conditions when said sliding jaw is disengaged from the rack 8.

The rack 8 may be formed uponthe handle plate 6 or may constitute a separate member secured thereto as shown, and in order to permit tilting movement of the jaw carrying head relative to thehandle member 6, the adjacent ends of the plate member 6 and jaw 10 are provided with clearance as indicatedat 18.

The ends of the spring 17 are perferably disposed in aligned openings provided through the inner portions of the jaws 10 and 12, and these openings are preferably enlarged at the outer sides of the jaws for reception of transverse pins 19 that are passed through eyes provided upon the ends of the spring 17 for maintaining the latter connected to the jaws. This provides for convenience and inexpensive assembly of the device, and as the of the edges of the plate member 9, it is effectively protected. The screws 14 are preferably formed with spaced threaded portions of different diameters so that the movement of the same will be limited when threading them into place whereby the counter sunk heads of the same will lie flush with the outer surface of one of the plates 9 and the smooth intermediate portions of the same will be disposed in the slots 15 as shown in Figures 2 and 6.

In operation the jaw carrying head is tilted relative to the handle 5 as shown by Figure 7 for disengaging the sliding jaw 16 from the rack 8 whereupon the sliding jaw may be moved away from the stationary jaw 10 for properly engaging the work. The spring 17 will cause the sliding jaw to move against one side of the work While the stationary jaw 10 is held against the oppospring is located inwardly v site side thereof, and upon swinging the handle 5 in the direction of the arrow 7) in Figure 2, the jaw carrying head will be tilted relative to the handle 5 for causing engagement of the teeth 16 ofv the sliding jaw 12 with the teeth of the rack 8 so that movement of the jaw 12 away from the stationary jaw 10 is effectively prevented and turning of the work insured.

Upon completion of the stroke of the handle 5 in the direction ofv the arrow'b, said handle is again moved in a. reverse direction as indicated by the arrow (,1. in Figure 7 so to again release the sliding jaw 12 and permit obtaining a new hold upon the work.

The construction is extremely simple and durable and can be manufactured and marketed at a relatively low cost to provide a wrench, the use of which requires no special skill.

The invention has the noteworthy advantage over most adjustable wrenches with which parts likely to become damaged or out of order, such as pawls andthe like.

Minor changes maybe made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. 1

. What I claim as new is: r

A wrench comprising a handle provided at its end with a plate portion having a series of rack teeth mounted upon the edge thereof and disposed in a. line transversely of the handle, said plate portion being pr0- vided at one end with a surface which is disposed at an acute angle to the line of the rack teeth, said plate portion being provided in the vicinity of its ends with transverse slots which diverge from each other from the intermediate portion of the plate toward the ends thereof, side plates having grooves and disposed at the opposite sides of said plate portion of ried by the side plates and passing through the said slots, a jaw carried by the side plates and having an end-portion disposed opposite the inclined end surface of the plate portion of the handle, a jaw slidably mounted in the grooves of the side plates and having teeth adapted to engage the teeth mounted upon the plate portion of the handle and a spring interposed between the jaws to normally urge the movable jaw to 7 'Ward the stationary jaw.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JOHN A. BELL.

the handle, cross pins car- I am familiar by embodying no frail V 

